Device for turning music.



H. L. MORAN.

DEVICE POR TURNING MUSIC.

APPLICATION FILED DB0.6,1909.

1,010,671. Patented Dec.5,191,1.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY LEO MORAN, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

DEVICE FOR TURNING MUSIC.

To all whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that I, HARRY LEO MoRAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado Springs, in the State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Device for Turning Music, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for turning music and is adapted for use as an attachment to the music-rest of any piano or organ of the usual type. Its object generally is to provide an automatic means for turning music in sheet or folio form and to provide simple, compact and convenient mechanism which may be readily operated by the performer without interrupting the execution of the music being rendered.

The invention consists in a novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter shown, described and claimed, and will be readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a top plan view of the attachment. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the supports or leaf turning devices. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3 3 of F ig. 2, showing mechanism for retaining and releasing the supports or leaf turning devices.

The device comprises a case a; in box form with lateral extensions one of which is shown in E ig. 2 of the drawings and designated by The case a is adapted to be placed upon the piano or organ just above the key-board and in the center of the instrument. The extensions b being hinged at 2 may be raised or lowered as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. Upon the top of the case a, is mounted a support or brace y in bracket form, near the top of which is a transverse plate 3. In the upper portion of the support or brace y and in the plate 3 are registering holes in which rods c-dm and e have bearing. The rods c-cZ- and e are journaled at their lower ends in bearings in the bottom of the case a. The rods 0*-dand e between the top of the case a and the plate 3 are encircled by springs; the upper ends of which are fastened in the plate 3 and the lower ends near the top of the case a are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1909.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 531,749.

fastened to rods c-Z and e respectively through holes in said rods. The rod c just above the top of the support y is bent slightly forward, and the rod e is bent slightly rearwardly so that the arm supported by the rod c will be slightly in front of that carried by therod ci and that carried by the rod d will be slightly in front of the one carried by the rod e.

Loosely mounted on each rod o-CZ and e is a collar w which may be raised or lowered and adjusted in different positions by means of a setscrew 3a. The collars are provided with projecting ears 4 to which are pivoted arms ji-g and L. This construction permits the arms to be folded down against the rods c-rl and e respectively or to be retained in horizontal adjustment when in use. These arms f-g and it carry near their outer end spring clamps z' which are adapted to engage the sheet of music at approximately the center and near the upper edge thereof. To the front face of each arm f-g and L and near its outer end is pinned a small rod is. These rods 7o may be drawn downwardly and are for use when t-he music to be turned is in book or folio form. When in operative adjustment for this purpose these rods are placed in the back of a series of pages of the book or folio, and as the arm bearing the rod 7c. is turned to the left by its spring m. the rod 7c. bears against the back of the page and thus turns the same. When the device is used for turning music in sheet form, the rod 7c. rests against the faces of the arms f-gand 7L respectively as shown in Fig. 9.. The tendency of the springs is to turn the rods c-(Z. and c. to the left, effectively to turn over any sheet of music held by the spring-clamps or which may be in front of any one of the rods lo. when the music is in book or folio form. In opera` tion the rods f-gand L. and parts oarried thereby may be manually adjusted in operative position as shown in F ig. 2 of the drawings, and retained in snch position, or released therefrom by means of the mechanism shown in F ig. 3.

The rods 5 are supported by the front of the case 0;. and plate 7,1., which plate is attached to the bottom of the case a. The rods 5 are encircled by springs II-M- and N,

which springs bear against the plate j). at their inner ends and against shoulders on the rods 5 at their outer ends. rl`he rods are piovided with buttons or finger plates 6, whereby said rods may be pressed rearwardly in opposition to the springs M-N- and II. encircling them. 'Ihe rods 5 are pivoted at their inner ends to levers A. B. and E. respectively, which are pivoted to the plate p. suitably attached to the bottom of the case a. The rods c-Z- and c. are provided near their lower ends with projections s which engage with the inner ends of the levers ier-B and E. respectively, and thus permit these members to serve as detents to hold the rods c-(Z- and c. inoperative adjustment as shown in Fig. 3. It is obvious that a slight pressure on any one of the buttons or finger plates 6 will release the corresponding rods c-(Z- or e. and that the springs will then turn the rod and arm carried thereby to the left, thus turning to the left the sheet of music supported by said arm. The rotation of the rod to the left is arrested by a lug or projection s., abutting against the rear wall of the case a.

On the upper surface of the extension L. may be mounted a spring retaining-clip m, adapted to receive and hold between the arms thereof the idle leaves of a book or folio. This clip is formed from a double piece of spring wire or other suitable material pinned at its arch or apex to the upper surface of the extension Z). and permitting the arms thereon to stretch apart at their inner ends for the insertion of the unused leaves of the book or folio.

Itis apparent that the arms f-gand 7L. may be folded downwardly against the rods c-(Z. and e. respectively, and that the extension one of which is shown in the drawings, may be folded upwardly and secured to the opposite extension by means of the hook 7 and eye (not shown). It is obvious that this arrangement makes the attachment compact in form, thus permitting convenient removal from the instrument with which it is used.

In the operation the attachment is placed upon the music-rest of the piano or organ, or other instrument, the extensions being hinged are let down, and together with the case a., form a rest for the music sheet, book or folio. The arms are raised and turned to the right until they catch. rIhe springclamps are then engaged with the sheets of music in proper order. Then the performer desires to turn the first sheet, the button or finger plate to the left is given a slight pressure, and the rod and the arm carried thereby, which supports the music sheet, is carried to the left. As the buttons or finger plates are conveniently located approximately in the center of the key-board, and only slightly above the saine, the button may be pressed by the performer without interference with the execution of the composition being rendered. rIhe remaining sheets are turned in like manner at proper intervals. In the event the music to be turned is in book or folio form the rods Zr. mounted on the arms f gand it. are turned downwardly and placed back of the leaves to be turned in proper order. The remaining, or unused, leaves are then inserted in the clamps M. on the top of the rest. The leaves are then turned at proper intervals in the manner above described.

It is apparent that the number of arms may be increased, and that various other modifications in the construction herein shown and described may be made without the least departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, I therefore do not limit myself to exact details of construction, but

IVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In a music leaf turner, a base, a series of substantially vertical rods supported by said base, springs actuating ,said rods, latching mechanism adjustable to hold said rods against rotation, manually operable means for releasing said latching mechanism, collars movably mounted on said rods, binding screws adjustable effectively to hold said collars in any desired vertical adjustment on said rods, arms pivoted to said collars and movable to and from horizontal position, a gripping device carried near the free end of each of said arms, and a rod pivoted near the free end of each of said arms and being adjustable about the pivot in any desired relation to said arms, substantially as specified.

2. In a music leaf turner, a base, a bracket mounted on said base, a central vertical rod upheld by said base and said bracket, a second rod supported by said base and said bracket and having a forward offset above said bracket, a third rod supported by said base and said bracket and having a rearward offset above said bracket, springs actuating said rods, latch devices controlling said rods, keys operable to release said latch devices, collars vertically adjustable on said rods above said offsets, arms pivoted to said collars and operable to and from horizontal adjustments, gripping devices near the free ends of said arms, and a rod pivoted to each of said arms near the gripping devices thereon and adjustable about the pivot in any desired relation to said arms, substantially as specified.

3. In a music leaf turner, a base, a bracket mounted on said base, a central vertical rod upheld by said base and said bracket, a second rod supported by said base and said bracket, and being bent forwardly above said bracket, a third rod supported by said base and said bracket and being bent rear- Wardly above said bracket, a laterally eX- latching devices controlling said rods, subtending aln pivoted to Ieach of said rlolds, stantially as specified.

r1 )inv evice on eac arm a sma ro ivldiedbnear the outer end of7 each of said HARRY LEO MOhAN' arms and being adjustable about the pivot in Witnesses: any desired relation to said arms, an actuat- ROBERT A. CHADWICK, Jr., ing spring for each of said three rods, and JOHN L. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

